It’s Time to Build a Society that Benefits Everyone - Not Just the Privileged Few!

in #life7 years ago (edited)

8 Men Have the Same Wealth as 50% of the Worlds Population!


100% of SBD earned from this post will be Donated to a Charity, Group or Cause that is Working to Resolve World Poverty.

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  • Since 2015, the richest 1% has owned more wealth than the rest of the planet combined.
  • Eight (8) men, have the same wealth as the poorest half (50%) of the human beings on the planet which is 3.6 billion people.
  • Over the next 20 years, 500 people will bequeath $2.1 trillion to their heirs – a sum larger than the GDP of India, a country of 1.3 billion people.
  • The incomes of the poorest 10% of the worlds population increased by less than $3 a year between 1988 and 2011 (or $69 a year in 23 years), while the incomes of the richest 1% increased 182 times as much.
  • A FTSE-100 CEO earns as much in a year as 10,000 people working in a garment factory in Bangladesh.
  • In the US, research by economist Thomas Piketty shows that over the last 30 years the growth in the incomes of the bottom 50% has been zero, whereas incomes of the top 1% has grown 300%.
  • In Vietnam, the country’s richest man earns more in a day than the poorest person earns in 11 years.
  • Over the past 25 years, the top 1% have earned more income than the bottom 50% combined.
  • 1 in 9 people go to bed hungry every single night.

Research shows that 75% of extreme poverty could be eliminated right now, using existing resources, by simply increasing taxation and cutting down on military and other regressive spending.

Who Are These 8 Men?


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The world’s 8 richest people in order are:

  1. Bill Gates - American founder of Microsoft (net worth $75 billion)
  2. Amancio Ortega - Spanish founder of Inditex which owns the Zara fashion chain (net worth $67 billion)
  3. Warren Buffett - American CEO and largest shareholder in Berkshire Hathaway (net worth $60.8 billion)
  4. Carlos Slim Helu - Mexican owner of Grupo Carso (net worth: $50 billion)
  5. Jeff Bezos - American founder, chairman and chief executive of Amazon (net worth: $45.2 billion)
  6. Mark Zuckerberg - American chairman, chief executive officer, and co-founder of Facebook (net worth $44.6 billion)
  7. Larry Ellison - American co-founder and CEO of Oracle (net worth $43.6 billion)
  8. Michael Bloomberg - American founder, owner and CEO of Bloomberg LP (net worth: $40 billion)

These 8 Men have More Wealth than 3.6 Billion People!


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The 2012 World Economic Forum identified rising economic inequality as a major threat to social stability. In 2015, the World Bank stated that its goal was to end poverty by 2030 via shared prosperity.

Does anyone seriously believe that the World Bank is committed to ending poverty - or that it will achieve its stated goal in the next 13 years?

Notice how the World Economic Forum seems to be focused on the social stability aspect i.e. keeping society/people under control. If the World Economic Forum (and World Bank) had a humane bone in its corporate body it would be using strong veribage to state that economic equality is a major threat to civilazation, humanity, lives, people, children, nations, health, morality etc etc - and it would already be taking strong action, and making serious inroads into fixing the problems that they themselves, and their ilk created - and we would all be reminded of it daily (non-stop) in the mainstream media. Their rhetoric is nothing more than doublespeak!

Since these shallow and corrupt organizations uttered those statements the gap between the rich, and every other human-being on the planet has widened.

As I was researching this post my heart hurt as the tragic reality of greed, economic inequality and poverty began to really sink in - in a very deep and meaningful way - that is a humbling and beautiful experience that I hope you have already, or will experience at some stage in your lifetime.

As a child my parents always told me that there were many people much less fortunate than me. It must have sunk in (to some degree). I willingly volunteered for the World Vision 40 hour famine, and I spent a few weekends every year door-knocking the neighborhood as I collected seemingly large sums of money for various charities during my formative years - but the next day, or 40 hours later my life returned to normal, and the poor that were so important to me the day before quickly became a distant memory - until next year of course.

In my own mind, I felt that I had done my little bit to end world poverty for the year and I moved on and felt justified in doing so. I'd done more (I tried to convince myself) than many of my contemporaries had done that year (as the competitive juices kicked), and I was at peace with myself and the world for a little while longer.

I have travelled and/or lived in approximately 70 countries, including India, and while I have seen poverty up close many times in my life. The penny finally dropped for me as I was researching and writing this post, and digesting these damning statistics.

I hope that your heart has also been deeply touched and that you will take a moment to reflect on how fortunate you are, and spare a thought, and say a prayer for the billions of people in the world today that aren't anywhere near as fortunate as you are.

As bad as you think that things are in your world right now - there is always someone else doing it tougher - we often forget that reality!

I am donating 100% of SBD proceeds that are generated by this post because too many people are already profiting from the blood, sweat and tears of the poor and needy - including myself.

We are buying, wearing and consuming goods that are manufactured by forced (slave) labor more often than we realize, and we don't even think twice about it or question where the goods originated from.

The International Labour Organization estimates that 21 million people (almost the entire population of Australia) are forced laborers, generating an estimated $150 billion in profits every year for greedy corporations and I am quite certain that they are under-estimating these numbers.

My hope is that every Steemian will read this post, digest it, upvote it and spread it (both online and offline) with the people that they know and come into contact with. We cannot keep sweeping this under the carpet!


I intend to delve deeper into the reasons behind economic inequality and poverty in future posts, as well as offering solutions. I still have quite a bit of research to do on this topic as it is a new area of research for me - so please share what you know with me (and everyone else) in the comments section below and let's work together and try to fix this mess. If you don't step up - who will?

The world’s 10 largest corporations generate more revenue than the governments of 180 countries combined!

There are only 194 countries in the world!


Please Consider Matching Me Dollar for Dollar, or Helping Out in Other Ways!

I will share who I donated the money to so as to keep it open and transparent. If you know of any honest and trustworthy organizations that won't devour most of the donation in expenses please let me know in the comments below.

Love, Peace & Truth

@steemtruth


Related Post: Charles Feeney - The Billionaire That Secretly Gave Away His Entire $8 Billion Fortune Away in 34 Years – True Story

Source: Oxfam - An Economy for the 99%

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Great post. I look forward to the follow up discussing the causes and what needs to change. #endthefed

Good on you Jason and thank you for the encouragement. Ending the Fed is a huge part of the solution.

So agreed steemtruth, upvoted and following you, would you please follow me! Thank you!

I'm following you sister

There is a guy on here who has a name very similar to yours saying that the founders were Socialist and advocated for a central bank..LOL I thought it was you at first but I'm so glad to see it wasn't. because I liked your articles. This kid probably thinks we need a cashless society with negative interest rates for the "common good" too. How do even debate such nonsense? Had our founders all advocated for a central bank they would have allowed one to be set up and Andrew Jackson's campaign slogan would have been We need Banks! Not NO BANKS!

One of the main reasons for the war was because England wanted to keep the colonies under the control of the Bank of England. I'm glad that you realized it wasn't me :)

do you think as automation takes hold of production that perhaps universal basic income could rectify some of these issues?

When automation becomes ubiquitous the elites won't have the need or desire for billions of people. I think that they will be viewed as expendable unfortunately.

that actually makes sense, it seems more likely the "elites" would seek some way to rid the planet of a good majority of the population once automation takes full hold. lets hope not.

Just RESTEEMED I am 100% on board I would make this. Hope you crush it!!

Thank you Isaac!

Wow, great statement ..and I hope Steemtruth crushes it to, great comment here isasc.rodebush upvoted and following you! Please follow me, I am so new at Steemit, but I'm going to be great! Thank you!

here is my little voting power to make your effort a success

Thank you - your vote matters.

This problem bothers me a lot. I can't help but feel we are missing so many opportunities to discover new things and solve many of the worlds problems because the wealth is being funneled in this way.

There is an enormous lost opportunity cost here from so many people being in poverty and it is an ethical issue. I'm just wondering how many more Einstein like people would have now if everyone was giving the resources needed to realize their full potential. (Proper nutrition and education is essential for childhood development)

It is clear that we are being trodden on and mocked. It is true that we are missing out on so many opportunities. You mentioned nutrition and they give us GMO. You mention education and they give us indoctrination. They lie to us, all of the time and when they tell us the truth they disguise it as fiction!

Have you heard of Georgism? It seems like the Land Value Tax, while it wouldn't solve the problem entirely, would begin to put to distribution system on a fairer scale. Right now, we tax labor and consumption which impact the least the most; whereas, capital and land rent get off easier.

I haven't heard of it before. Please tell me more and post a link from a good source if you can. Thank you for contributing!

Here are two good links off the top of my head:

http://henrygeorge.org/bob/understanding-economics-site-map/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Land_value_tax

The best book on the subject is Henry George's Progress and Poverty. Here is a link to a PDF version:

https://mises.org/sites/default/files/Progress%20and%20Poverty_3.pdf

Thank you. I've bookmarked and will read them shortly.

Just a few years ago i read it was 85 people that controlled 50% of the wealth, but now its down to 8. You have my vote.

Thanks @jonas91 - things are moving quickly and your comment clearly tells us the direction that it is heading in.

@steemtruth, I dont know if its the truth, but my father told me that more and more of the super rich are seeing the problem of distribution in the word, and how wrong it it.

I am sure that more of them are seeing it but I don't see many of them doing anything major to fix it.

For all his faults Charles Feeney possibly did more than all of them combined and he lived to see it.

Billionaire Secretly Gives Away His Entire $8 Billion Fortune Away in 34 Years – True Story!

Maybe one day, I hope so

Agreed! this has been going on for far too long

@steemtruth good work upvoted and following you i also write story for society to think over.you can check it out here.

https://steemit.com/story/@diverse-thinker/100-words-one-story

I read your short 100 word story and so should everyone else. You said it perfectly. Upvoted and following you.

@steemtruth thats really encouraging i will come up with moe stories to bring positive change . If you feel like you can resteem it thanks again i am honoured

Your short story hit the nail on the head. If you don't mind, and if you approve. I will re-write it, post it, link back to your post and give you credit for it - how does that sound?

@steemtruth i am happy if you do so :) i will keep on writing these messages should be spread to world .

@steemtruth you are allowed to write this story and provide the link and connect to my story

your message was perfect and I will try to help you spread it.

If you're looking for a good organization to donate to, I think you can't get much better than Kiva. They are a micro loan company that gives out, from the perspective of many, these tiny loans. However, to the individuals who the money is loaned to the equivalent of $25 as a start up loan can be a complete game changer.

They have a reproducable model, and one that is self sustaining to some degree because most people pay back the loan they are given. Plus, unlike a normal NGO, the person who needs help is not given assistance effectively chosen by the NGO itself. Rather individuals are given money directly and trusted to use the money responsibly.

It turns out almost everyone does their best to do just that. It rates well at charity navigator and you can rest assured even a small donation has a high likelyhood of permanently changing an individuals life.

I've heard about these programs and that most people fully re-pay their loan but I've never delved deep. I surely will now. Micro-loans is an excellent suggestion. Thank you @dber.

We Can't Make the Greedy bastards have a Heart, BUT we CAN boycott their Businesses and Services as much as Possible! That is the ONLY voice we really Have! I already don't shop at Wal Mart, don't eat McDonald's( or any Fast Food!), won't go to Starbucks, etc..Not that my decisions impact them much financially, but it is my Personal crusade! IF I am Ever wealthy enough to take care of myself without worry every day, I will give away nearly every dollar to someone who needs it more than I!!

Great suggestion. I try to avoid the conglomerates also, it's a work in progress weeding them out of my life. I'm with you. I'm going to give practically everything that i have away. With a bit more hard work, time and a bit of luck I'm hoping to be well cashed up in a few years. Then I'll go to 3rd world countries and start using it to help others.

Instead of just giving wealth away, I think one idea that would be great is if someone can right a Steemit application that lets us "bank" our money with a cryptocurrency bank (maybe with Bitcoins) that loans out funds to start co-ops in poorer countries. Small businesses, co-ops, credit unions, etc... It could promise a fair return to help the least fortunate build their own futures. Also, it would begin to build a banking alternative to current banking system which is built on keeping most the population in chains.

Great concept - a lot of work is required to pul it off but I love your thinking and direction. I will add it to my solutions post and credit you for drawing my attention to it.

Awesome - thank you!

Its Just a Dream for Me..I doubt I ever have enough to not worry..

Alone we maybe insignificant but if today, the majority of all of us stood up and demanded change, I'm sure we'll realise we ourselves were denying it to us. Best of luck brother.

so true, thank you!

This Is a horrible problem, and I doubt it can ever be fixed. The 1% does not want to give up its status. While they sit atop their thrones vicariously watching the world starve around them.

I tend agree with you. The 1% are psychopaths determined to enslave inhumanity . It's very say. Thanks for your comment.

When you use the term 1% if you're American and make 34K a year you are the 1%. They plan on eliminating poverty by redistributing wealth alright through the middle classes. They've lifted 3 billion out of poverty on Western tax payers dimes and it isn't even paid for it is debt. 17% of our GDP already goes to IMF. Those men aren't REALLY the richest. It is in trusts that are semi-automous and global.. They do not live by the same rules we do so when people say tax the rich it really comes back down to the Middle Class. The best thing I've seen as a solution is an article that was on WEF. It is the Alaska model. It is a value added tax. It would flow over to digital spaces too like FB. Zuckerberg gets rich collecting and mining data on us. It would not have value if it weren't for the people who use it. This is my first comment so I'm not sure if it is okay to post links to articles.

How about a new form of government. Overlay the Constitution on top of a blockchain designed to restrict all government action to be within the law. That's the first step. Then comes the real work of making this world a better place.

Good suggestion. I'll include it in a follow up post. Thanks.

People all over are more aware of this, it seems like in the US for what I seen the social justice movements and people that really wants to make a change for the workers and minorities are always push back and laught at... people think Hillary is left.. and Sanders crazy... non-sense.. I do not get it.. how are we supposed to compite in a equal base if some have better healthcare and better education than others??? how are we not a society of classes? why a degree from one collegue is better than the other? and why this other collegue is better in the first place? why not more resources go into education/healthcare and less in invasive wars abroad... to many questions that usually point to the same people at the top, in the mean time us behind, middle and down fighting each other on who is right while they look down on us and laught.

You have asked some very good and reasonable questions and you have made some very good points @rek2.

I believe that they want us to be divided. They also want us to believe that one political candidate is different to the next (they aren't - more division). They keep selling us lies.

I support this awareness drive, I have dedicated my life to solving this issue, not so much of inequality, I do not think my hands can reach that high, but the issue of needless suffering the majority of the world's population has to deal with. Good luck my friend.

Thank you!

This is the stark reality of the world today: those wealthiest 8 men you list aren't those with the greatest economic clout, because these 8 men do not hide their wealth as resourcefully as the greatest fortunes have long done.

As awful as it may be, the real true richest men in the world eclipse these men.

I do not seek to discourage you from providing aid to persons in need, but urge you to be wary of organizations that wage wars of words and secretly use donations to further the exploitation of the people they claim to serve.

Foundations and NGOs are notorious for being front organizations for deep state actors. One must sift carefully through reports that some foundations are funnels for human trafficking and murderous organ harvesting, and loan sharks are reported to have used microloans to extort organs from debtors.

Thank you for bringing this issue much needed exposure.

I couldn't agree more and that is why it will take a little time for me to find the right group or cause. I'm well aware that the vast majority of foundations and ngo's are fronts. I'm a student of history.

Thank you for reminding me and for the heads-up!

There is a good article on WEF. It is about a value added tax. It is called the Alaska model. It will spill over to digital spaces too. I'm new and not sure if you can post links to articles. It has been the best solution I've seen that doesn't cause more poverty.

Thanks for the suggestion and welcome to steemit. You can post links on the platform and I'd appreciate it if you could post a link to that article as I will read it.

Thank you. I've read the article and while I need to study this out more, on first glance it seems that I may include it in my 'solutions' article as part of this series. If so I will give you the credit for alerting me to it. Thanks again, very much appreciated!

Good point bro, posts like this should be made more often, btw im upvoting everyone who uses @bardhyliis on their posts, love for all -PEACE-

Thank you brother. I appreciate it!

Great post , hope we see some change !

I agree with you so much, these things need to be correct and a movement to change really began. The Feds are a huge issue and the root to a lot of the evils in this world, burns me everyday I see the tragedies they bestow on the world with their corruptions and central banks. Great post, made me follow you instantly.

Oh, I run a thing called Steemit Blogger Central on Twitter, Facebook, and now we have a SLACK. I am going to resteem this for you to that crowd, I think they need to read this and learn. Thanks for this post, its a benefit to the community and world.

You can view your RESTEEM at the following pages:

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/steemitbc

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/steemitbc

Our Steemit Blogger Central SLACK community is here:
https://sbcautoinvite.herokuapp.com/
You can post your articles and meet other Steemians on our SLACK for real time growth

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Thank you @sflaherty. I just saw your comment now and I apologize for not seeing it sooner. Thank you for the encouragement and for sharing it with your network. Let's get the truth out there.

No worries, trust me I know how it is, as I am growing my way here its getting harder and harder to keep up with the comments, takes an hour or so a morning to keep them happy lol. Glad to help you out anytime, feel free to keep in touch, we are growing Steemit Blogger Central pretty quickly so hopefully more RESTEEMS like this will be more effective as we keep at it. Really good to meet you

I don't use FB or twitter however I'm now following you on Steemit. I look forward to watching you grow, reading your content and seeing how we can work together and spread truth. It's great to meet you and all the best my friend.

Trust me I am not liking having to be on FB and Twitter again lol....so I am with you for keeping away. I am more or less using this as a Trojan Horse model...get in there save a few mainstream social media slaves and get them over here fast lol. Helps the community but its a pain in the butt to be back around those sites, no fan of them myself. Look forward to more chats, I will swing by when I can and kick up a conversation or two on your articles. Here's to a long friendship and two people seeing the truths out there, more of us gather the faster we can make serious changes

Wow, @steemtruth, your post is so amazing and you are right on.. about everything you have mentioned here the governments are greedy people who only want votes for themselves. I don't believe they care about the needy people in the world. I wish we could do something about this, you have my vote of course. I can tell you are a very intelligent person. God bless you for speaking the truth and peace to you my friend! Yours sisterlove!

You are right and thank you for contributing sister. We can do something about this and the more that I blog the faster that I can offer solutions. Time is the issue for me. God Bless you @sisterlove

Well in my point of view the main and only reason of poverty is the system we follow which grows up the chances for millionaires to become billionaires and poor to more poverty we need to work on this system that's how this problem can be solved . And that was great post by you

Yes the system was designed this way and it is working exactly how they intended it to. The gap between the rich and the poor keeps widening and the middle class in 1st world countries are being squeezed down into the poveryy class.

That a tiny group of men owned the majority of the planet's wealth is something that I knew, but to see it in a graphic with the actual percentages is pretty shocking, and I didn't think that I could be shocked at this point. And that's just monetary wealth, no? If we attempted to add in their control over other resources beyond fiat money, I suspect that the graph would be even uglier. My focus as an anarchist tends to stay within the home, showing people how they can take small steps in their everyday life to achieve a bit more liberty, with my argument being that if people controlled their own wealth better, then they can better control how it's distributed. The changes are infinitesimal compared to the power that billionaires and big government wields, but it's something. In the end I suspect that the awareness itself will bring the biggest returns in the long run.

I have a lot of respect for what you're trying to do and how you're working to raise awareness of this massive problem AND take action to help out however you can. Following so that I don't miss future posts!

Great comment and you are right - awareness is key. I believe that is 1st base. If you aren't aware then you don't know!

Thank you for following me. I really appreciate it!

Keep working, stop paying.
Rule by force is the problem.

HeartTouching post. Thats true we are really very fortunate when compared all these people who really have to work very hard for one time bread.They will be always in my prayers.Pray that economic inequality and poverty will come to an end.Wish that u get enough money to help them.All the very best!!
upvoted and followed:)

thank you for keeping them in your prayers @afhusna786 and thank you for the caring comment.

This post received a 14% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @steemtruth! For more information, click here!

I speak often - though not usually on steemit - about the benefits afforded to wealthy citizens through tax evasion, corporate welfare, and government lobbying, but I do think that 2 of those wealthy individuals can be vindicated for their wealth.

Warren Buffet is incredibly humble and philanthropic with his wealth, and Bill Gates has said some truly inspiring things about his wealth and recognizes that his money imposes on him a responsibility to use it in a way which benefits the world.

The Bill and Melinda gates foundation does R&D for incredible technology which improves the lives of those living in the most impoverished areas. You may find one example of this technology if you look up the water purifier Bill Gates funded which converts sewage to drinking water.

I am hoping that despite the inequality this pushes into the world, that the others on that list use their vast wealth responsibly, recognize the impact their wealth has, and use it in a way which will forward humanity.

Though in the end, it's their money, and the power they hold is immense, we can only hope they can empathize with us when they're so far from the problems and lives most people herald.

Gates & Buffet are merely trying to ensure that their legacy is positively enshrined in the history books after they dedicated the majority of their lives pillaging and raping the less fortunate. Just like John D Rockefeller did, history always repeats itself. They are merely copying Rockefeller's pseudo-philanthropic model as they use their money to fund global agendas that do not help us and that they do not tell us about.

Charles Feeney gave away $8 Billion in 34 years. He gave it all away during his lifetime and kept $2 million for himself. Gates & Buffet aren't worthy of tying his shoelaces, or mine. Gates & Buffet are puppets, wealthy puppets, but puppets nonetheless.

If I saw Gates or Buffet today I'd give it to them right between the eyes. They are disgusting examples of human-beings IMHO. They are merely actors playing their role!

Billionaire Secretly Gives Away His Entire $8 Billion Fortune Away in 34 Years – True Story!

When it comes to the world's richest, have you ever noticed how the Rothschild are never mentioned. In fact increasing taxation won't work because national government are not funded by taxation. They are funded by DEBT which in turn benefits people like the Rothschild that own and control the central bank. Moving away from debt-based usurious money is one of the ways of evening the playing field.

There were too many cliches and not enough original thinking in this article.

I know full well that the Rothschilds are worth trillions and that they are by far the wealthiest individuals on the planet. The problem that I often encounter is that not enough other people do. Sometimes we need to take baby steps and engage people where they are at rather than where we are at. I've just come back after a 6 month break and I'm only warming back up. If you read through my earlier posts you should see that I've covered a fair range of topics in the 3 months that I blogged. I don't disagree with you. I'm just adding some context. Thanks for reading the article and for your comment..

People participating here on SteemIt are clearly well ahead of the curve so you shouldn't pull punches. Be honest with the information and don't hold back and do not underestimate your audience.

When you know what I know you may advise otherwise. I am not being arrogant, or proclaiming to know everything (I most certainly do not) but I do know, that I know more than most people are ready to digest in one sitting. In saying that, it has been 6 months since I blogged.

The economy is more than GDP and the stock market - it is also the quality of life that can be offered to the middle class.

it is the quality that can be afforded to everyone, not just the middle class.

Your article made me think of a comic I saw a while back about privilege.
http://thewireless.co.nz/articles/the-pencilsword-on-a-plate

not to be a stick in the mud, but those 8 men earned what they have , and if they choose to redistribute it at their leisure then so be it. everybody forgets the earn part of their wealth, its theirs , they didnt steal it and the reality is they give /donate quite a bit of what they have without having to be told.

It is a very interesting notion to "earn" what they have. Fortunes are built by being in the right place at the right time with the right idea. Gates just happened to build DOS with a little help in a few months and things snowballed from there. Zuckerberg built the basics of Facebook in a couple of weeks and it took off.

The business practices of large corporations that create these massive fortunes for people like them are questionable because the very nature of their charter is to maximize the return for investors without regard for external costs.

Gates, with a little wise investment can walk to his mailbox each week and pick up dividend checks worth more that many of us can hope to earn in lifetime.

They did not fund the basic research and development creating the network of things that make computing possible. The endless assembly language stuff that goes into the computer processing and hardware that nobody thinks about. The entire sphere of support that makes this a civilized place to live. None of this stuff would be possible without the taxation that is paid for disproportionately by the poor.

If we can find a way to distribute things a bit more fairly in the first place we wouldn't need to place so much effort into trying to redistribute it later imho. There's nothing wrong with being rich or earning some big reward for your effort but at this level of compensation???

those executives have a fiduciary responsibility to the board stock holders to maximize profit and technically if they dont they can be imprisoned. companies don t go into business to create products or jobs they go into business to make money, pharma companies dont go into business to make drugs they go into business to make money, if there is no money to be made there is no business, no business no new drugs , no new drugs , quality of life and actual life itself is at risk!

those executives have a fiduciary responsibility to the board stock holders to maximize profit and technically if they dont they can be imprisoned.

That reminds me of blackmail and a system that has been designed to support it.

Euro zone finance ministers agree on 8.5 billion euro loan to Greece, official says, now this is a rigged system, really gotta read confessions of an economic hitman, it details ridiculous shit like this out in a way that will make your stomach turn.

We can rest assured that the euro zone finance ministers will not be re-paying the loan. Great book and excellent point!

They are still each worth over $60 billion and these 8 men have more wealth than 3.6 billion people (50% of the world) and you are defending them and the system that allowed this to happen?

Billionaire Secretly Gives Away His Entire $8 Billion Fortune Away in 34 Years – True Story!

no but they did not invent the system, there is an old conundrum, and based on what i have seen in life it seems to be true, if you got 100 people in a room of various backgrounds and education and gave them 1 million dollars each how many of their lives would be improved in a years time? and how many would have anything left? the answer is about 3% of would have improved their lives and the majority would be worse than they were, so how does redistrubiting wealth help that.

They are part of the system. They did not devote their lives, or the remainder of if to educating people on how the system operates and how to beat it. That is the greatest legacy that they could have used their wealth and platform to champion - but they haven't, and they wont.

They are filth!

With all due respect - your points are mute!

this is a general discussion, not an argument , i am not saying that i dont agree with you but the mentality of a large portion of the planet is exactly what i stated, the system is extremely tilted and flawed (read confession of an economic hitman) but the fight you are taking on would entail people loosing their love afair with all the junk they clutter their lives with,, and that mon freir is a very hard sell, i have unburdended myself with quite a few things that used to keep we working from 7am until midnight 6 days a week , i made lots and lots of money , and had lots and lots of junk, i became a slave to my shit, to i quit , i still make decent money and basically i eat what i shoot, no salary, no retirement not insurance just make money the old fashioned way i work for it, my life is expentionally better and i know that most people would never be able to do what i do or would step off the cliff and make it all on your own, but i earn it and the less i have around me the better i feel.

I'm not arguing with you and I apologize if it came across that way. We're both approaching this from different angles and that's cool. I'm just not prepared to give either one of them one inch of ground as I am convinced that they are both very evil men. When people defend them I get my back up.

I've partied, and being friends and business partners with multi-millionaires and they don't have anything that I want. To be frank, I have very little respect for them.

Your shifting away from materialism and back towards a more natural lifestyle resonates with me. I've been moving in the same direction over the last few years. I've killed my own dinner, got my hands dirty and I love it and I intend to do more of it in the future. I've lived the high-life and at the time I loved it but I also realized that it was superficial.

Shame on these men for not realizing what we both know!